coercive

adjective

co·​er·​cive kō-ˈər-siv 

: serving or intended to coerce

coercive power

coercive measures

coercively adverb

coerciveness noun

Examples of coercive in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The United States sees an opportunity to strengthen European energy security, deepen ties with Central Asia, add another vector to pressure Iran from the north, and reduce the coercive power Moscow derives from frozen conflicts and energy dependence. —Wesley Alexander Hill, Forbes.com, 30 May 2026

But researchers have asserted that prison labor will always be inherently coercive. —Julia Bowling, The Conversation, 29 May 2026

As San Jose moves toward a more coercive approach for homeless residents who repeatedly refuse shelter, the debate over enforcement will remain central at City Hall. —Mercury News Editorial Board, Mercury News, 27 May 2026

In the 1760s, several situations arose involving ordinary people navigating coercive authority that restricted mobility and autonomy. —Literary Hub, 26 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

coerce + -ive

First Known Use

circa 1600, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing coercive

• coercive force

Rhymes for coercive

• cursive
• aversive
• discursive
• dispersive
• immersive
• recursive
• subversive

Legal Definition

coercive

adjective

co·​er·​cive kō-ˈər-siv 

1

: serving or intended to coerce

2

: resulting from coercion

to protect women from coercive intimacy

—Kimberle Crenshaw